Ib: Into the Abyss
by PerkyGoth14
Summary: Ib and her neighbor, Lavender are visiting an art gallery with Ib's parents. The girls are a little intrigued and discover there is more than meets the eye in a simple place like a museum when something happens that doesn't very often in regular museums.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: A story based on an RP with my dear friend. Surprisingly, this one isn't about a movie or cartoon, this is about a game that only a few people know. She saw the gameplay of this game a few days ago and I saw it last year in my Independent Study class with my friends in our teacher's backroom computers. We only own our OC's, mine will be introduced later. The OC being used right now is Lavender. Read & Review. **

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><p>The sky was dull and grey as four people entered the art gallery. There were three females and one male. The little girl had long dark red-brown hair and was in a school uniform. The first woman looked just like the girl only her hair was up. And just like the youngest girl had red eyes and pale skin like them all. The other girl was younger than the first woman but older than the girl. She had grey-green eyes, and had black hair. She was wearing a black and purple spotted dress with black netting under the skirt to make it poof out a bit. Her hair was tied back with a lavender ribbon. Her name was Lavender.<p>

The woman who was known as the young girl's mother was asking her some things as they were going to visit the art gallery this afternoon. As they were in, it was finally time to settle, explore and educate. "Well, we're here. This is your first time in an art gallery, right Ib?" she asked the young girl who was her daughter.

Ib turned to her mother to listen.

"We're here today to see an exhibition of works by an artist named Guertena, and they don't just have paintings, but also sculptures and all kinds of other creations! I don't doubt that even you'll enjoy it, Ib, remember to stay close to me, your father, or your friend, Lavender."

Ib nodded and looked up to the older girl who was like a sister to her.

Lavender turned her red eyes to look at Ib. "We'll be fine, right Ib?" she asked the girl, taking her hand. "Can we go ahead?" she then asked.

Ib's father looked at his wife and then the two girls. "Well, as long as you can stick together..." he consented.

"We'll go to the reception desk and get some pamphlets, we'll meet you girls later." Ib's mother added. "Just make sure you're quiet in the gallery, okay? Don't make a ruckus."

Ib nodded, not really speaking and clung to Lavender. She followed the older girl around the gallery to go exploring for themselves while the parents would be busy with 'boring grown-up stuff'. Lavender waved to her friend's parents. She walked along with Ib and pointed out the most interesting pieces of art work. She loved this guy's works, they could bring up so many emotions.

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><p>Ib was curiously looking at some of the plaques and tried to read some. She had some struggle though because she was young and didn't know certain words. She was only nine. She then saw a beautiful rose and went to look at it and saw a boy was anxious to pick some of the petals.<p>

"They'll get mad..." Ib gently told the boy so he wouldn't do what he was thinking of doing.

Lavender nodded to the boy, agreeing with her sister-like friend.

"You're boooooring!" the boy told Ib and Lavender, then looked at the rose again.

Lavender rolled her eyes at the boy. She smiled slightly at Ib. "Shall we go and see the big mural on the wall?" she then asked the girl.

Ib went to follow Lavender to see the mural that a lot of people seemed to be enjoying. The one that was mostly being observed was 'Abyss of the Deep'.

"Is there a thing you'd like to see?" Lavender asked the younger girl.

"I think I saw these colorful dresses on the top floor." Ib suggested to the older girl.

Ib's parents had seemed to have left the desk and were now looking at some art like the other people inside.

"Okay, we'll go and take a look." Lavender grinned. She held the girl's hand both so she wouldn't get lost and so that they would stick together.

When they arrived they saw it was called _'Death of the Individual'_.

Ib looked at the dresses. They looked so pretty and she wondered if she would grow up to be pretty enough to wear at least one of them, specifically the red one. She then saw a colorful painting that had some stray splatters of red, yellow, and blue on it titled some kind of World. As Ib came closer to that one, the lights flickered, and suddenly, everyone around her had disappeared.

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><p>The only other there with Ib was Lavender, luckily due to her holding Ib's hand. "Whoa, this is weird... Stay close, sweetie." she told the girl.<p>

Both were shocked when writing appeared. '_Come to me, Ib and Lavender, come deeper and I'll show you a secret_' it read.

"No one's around..." Ib said quietly, but followed Lavender. She was a little nervous and scared of what was going on. The atmosphere felt instantly freaky, some fruit fell from a painting, the entrance was locked, and there was those strange letters luring them. The girls were told to come down to someplace secret and there were blue shoe-prints on the marble white floor by the 'Abyss of the Deep'.

Lavender looked at the mural. "Come here." she said, offering a piggyback ride to the girl.

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><p>Ib climbed onto her neighbor's back and looked anxiously as they saw the blue smudges. It looked as though as Lavender was getting closer to the creation, they were being sucked into a different world. They were now in a deep blue room with one framed picture with red background and another one similar, but a lighter blue.<p>

"Where are we?" the younger girl wondered.

"I don't know..." Lavender says softly. She kept the girl on her back and looked at the paintings.

"Look..." Ib pointed to a vase that had a red rose and next to it was a white rose. "Should we take them?"

"Well, they are pretty..." Lavender says, her voice gentle. She felt they should take them, that they were important. She took them both and handed the red one to Ib.

Ib kept the red one close, red being her favorite color. "I wonder where we are...?" she looked around their new surroundings such as a strange painting with a woman with long blue hair and something underneath the plaque.

Lavender walked over to the painting to read what it said on the plaque and underneath.

There was a warning about the roses on the plaque. Ib couldn't understand some of the words but collected the blue key that was under the plaque. "I wonder where this goes to?" she asked herself, nearly whispering, even though she was alone with Lavender.

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><p>Ib nodded and saw the blue door, it only made sense to use the key for that door. The girl used the key to open the door and she walked in to see a garden like room that had paintings of insects such as a ladybug, a bumblebee, a butterfly, and even a spider. "Beware of the edges," she read aloud a note that was in the room before they would furthermore explore.<p>

Lavender placed the girl down a little. "Ib, stop there a minute..." she says softly, preparing to see why they would have to stay away from the edges.

Ib stopped and braced herself for the possible dangers. It looked safe for now, but what would indeed happen if they came too close to the edges they were warned to stay away from? Lavender, after making sure Ib was staying where she placed her, walked towards the edge of the gap between two walls. Ib cried as she saw some dangerous hands crept out to reach out for Lavender, but luckily, the older girl had dodged them. There were also two green doors where Lavender was right now. There was also a painting of an ant that looked removable.

Lavender looked relieved. She came back walking straight down the middle. "This way, sweetie..." she says and offered to give her a piggyback again.

Ib nodded and hopped onto Lavender's back. She looked around and tried not to panic from the clinging hands that were coming for them, but they didn't seem to be too long enough to successfully grab them and possibly kill them. Ib saw that Lavender had put the ant painting down to work as a bridge and they made it to the other side where the one green door was locked, but there was a green key where one of the dressed headless models were now in the room.

Lavender looked around carefully. She headed to find the key with Ib on her back. "Keep a hold..." she gently warns the girl.

Ib nodded and did as told. The key was so blended into the darker green floor that you could miss it if you weren't paying attention. However, Lavender managed to find it. Lavender grinned and picked up the key. She kept one hand holding Ib to her back and had her rose stuck in her hair while she picked up the key. She didn't notice the headless statue start to come to life.

Ib pointed anxiously as the statue was coming to life. "Lavender..." she whispered softly and slowly as the statue was slowly coming to life.

Lavender looked up and saw the statue. "Uh, just keep a hold..." she says softly. She planned to get past the statue quickly while keeping her friend safe.

The statue started to make its way to grab them and to destroy their roses.

Ib held on tight. As they walked past the ant painting, the statue that was after them fell through the painting, leaving a hole in it. "That was a little scary..." she said shallowly and wheezily from the sudden chase. This was no ordinary art gallery it seems.

"Don't... worry, sweetie..." Lavender pants. She gave a smile and held up the key. "Let's find the door to this key." she says.

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><p>Ib nodded. The girls had used the key to get into the new room and it appeared to be a giant cat-like figure with a fish-shaped hole in it with what looked like giant eyes staring not directly at them, but it was very noticeable. Ib was hoping they wouldn't be watched by it. There were two open walls on the sides leading anywhere, there were no doors.<p>

Lavender looked both ways. "Which way should we go first?" She asks Ib giving the girl a chance to decide.

Ib hummed. "That way!" she pointed right which led to a room with a bunch of statues, some were full-bodied with a body and head, some were just heads, and some were headless with blue dresses. There also appeared to be boxes.

Lavender looked around. "Okay, we'll search for a key or that fish..." she says. She let Ib down. "We'll both search together." she suggests with a smile. She looked warily at the statues though.

Ib nodded, then looked around the room. She so far couldn't find anything as she looked through the boxes and strange statues. The lights flickered down suddenly, surprising her. Lavender took Ib's hand as the lights flickered. She had checked herself and was near Ib when the lights did that.

Ib came closer to Lavender as it was now pitch black in the room. "Nothing here..." she whispered.

Lavender held Ib safely close. "We should find a light switch..." she says quietly.

"Uh-huh." Ib agreed. "But where?"

Lavender started to carefully feel around for a light switch. Ib did the same and tried to stay put wherever she was so she wouldn't get lost, hurt, or in trouble without Lavender. Lavender kept a hold of Ib so she wouldn't lose the girl. She picked her up when something smashed, she then noticed something in the mess, a wooden fishtail. She picked it up.

"I wonder if that goes back there." Ib wondered, looking to see that the piece resembled a fish tail and remembering the fish-shaped hole that they passed on their way in here.

Lavender took Ib out of that room after they replenished their roses. She then let the girl down and walked along the next one. She still held Ib's hand as they walked along. Ib was surprised that the rose petals were like health to their life. If they got hurt, they would have to get new petals from the vases and they would be okay. She tightly held Lavender's hand as they were in a new room with strange buttons and a voice asked them if they wanted to play hide and seek. Whoever said it told them that if they found it, it would give them a prize.

Lavender seemed to like the sound of finding this stick figure. She looked at Ib "We'll have to be careful as we search..." she tells Ib.

Ib nodded and decided to carefully look. She shrieked as she pressed one of the buttons and it released a lightning bolt upon her. Luckily, the rose had protected her from the sting to kill her. She then went to see a crescent moon piece. The lights faded and it seemed it was now night.

Lavender made sure Ib was okay and looked at one. It was of a nude lady and she screamed before slapping Lavender, causing a petal to fall off.

Ib rubbed herself and looked in concern for Lavender. "Are you okay, Lavvie?" she asked in a hushed tone.

Lavender chuckled sheepishly. "Yeah..." she says quietly. She then made sure Ib was still okay. "Okay, I have a good feeling about this one..." she says pointing to the one opposite the lady picture.

Ib waited and the picture didn't harm either of them this time. Ib also saw a very sinister painting, but it didn't seem to jump out and get either her or Lavender.

Lavender went to the one she pointed to. It was the picture of the figure. "Well done, you get a prize..." she reads. She grinned at Ib, her red eyes sparkling.

Ib had a small smile. She felt like she had accomplished something worth winning. "Now, should we go to that other room?" she asked the older girl.

"Hold on a sec," Lavender says and went up to the top of the room with Ib and picked up the fish head. Both peices joined together. She handed it to Ib. "You can put this one in." she says with a smile.

Ib went with her to the room and put the pieces into the odd cat-like form before them. The eyes on the strange cat lit up and there showed another doorway to another room. Lavender walked along with Ib's hand in hers. She saw that they came up to a corridor and a picture was wagging its tongue at them.

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><p>Lavender looked disgusted. "Ib, don't touch it sweetheart..." she gently tells the girl. She went to look at a note a little way away from Ib.<p>

Ib looked back at her and decided to do as she was told. There was a yellow smear on the wall warning them to "Beware of Lips".

"Just when you'd forgotten..." Lavender reads. She looked at Ib. "Shall we go ahead?" She asks, confused about the message.

Ib nodded in agreement. She was on her way to go down a hall with Lavender and winced as one of the grabbing hands came out. As they came to the end of the hall, there were hanging bodies from the ceiling much to their horror. Lavender had brought Ib behind her. She slapped at the hand for trying to hurt her almost-sister.

Ib looked and turned her head to see a yellow, unlocked door which was labeled, 'The Liar's Room'. _'Wonder what's in there?'_ she thought to herself, and looked ahead.

The hand 'squeaked' and drew itself back, making one of the bodies fall from the ceiling. It had actually been a doll and not a human body.

Lavender smirked at the hand. "Okay, we'll go in that room first..." she agrees.

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><p>Ib led the way into the room and looked with Lavender. There were framed portraits of people in colorful clothes and didn't seem at all dangerous. The paintings had hints about something, such as a speaker of the truth. Ib wondered what that could have meant and what it was all about. Some of the paintings agreed with one another and it spoke of a statue in another room to find an answer to something.<p>

Lavender nodded as she tried to figure out the puzzle. "It's the brown colored one who tells the truth..." she tells Ib.

Ib made a mental note of the brown-clothed picture. "Stand in front of the statue, go east four steps, then north two steps, that's the answer". She tried to arrange it into her brain so she would remember and keep track and went with Lavender inside the yellow door and found the statue the paintings had told them about.

Lavender opened the door. "This seems okay..." she says softly.

There was a nearly all emptied room with just the statue. It appeared to be holding something in its hands. Ib then tried to remember the pattern she was told from the other paintings and went to find a tile. She tried to pull it up and had success! Lavender was outside the room, having wanted to not end up ruining things as it seemed only one was meant to. She saw the color wearing picture people were coming out and they all destroyed the brown wearing painting. They then returned and Lavender looked shocked.

Ib had came out after pulling up the tile. She had the code and memorized it in her head over and over so she wouldn't forget: four. That seemed very important to remember so she coached herself to think only but that. There were blood splatters against the paintings. They all said "Liar" to her like they had lost her trust or something.

"What's happening?" Ib sounded frantic about the paintings.

"Don't worry, sweetie..." Lavender says softly and took her hand gently and headed towards the exit.

Ib nodded. "I learned a way to get past that door by the dolls." she told Lavender in a hushed tone.

Lavender smiled slightly. "Come on, then..." she says softly and led the way holding Ib's hand.

Ib and Lavender came to the door as another doll dropped, but not harming either of them. As soon as Ib solved the password, there was a sound and they were able to open the door and saw a bunch of tree sculptures and one of them had a wooden apple.

"This is it?" Ib raised an eyebrow. "Just an apple?" she took the apple, wondering what it could be for.

"Didn't it say something about the lips?" Lavender asks Ib.

"It said to 'beware'," Ib remembered. "Maybe the lips need something to eat!" she held the apple close and went out the door, avoiding another doll on the ground and went to the lips with Lavender, a little nervous.

"Hungry... Give food..." the lips demanded, hungrily.

Lavender scowled at it's rudeness. "Give it the apple, sweetie." she says but kept her hand on Ib's shoulder to be ready incase she needed to pull the girl back.

Ib looked shyly back at Lavender, then gave the wooden apple to the lips.

"This tasty," the lips munched and was pleased by their gesture. "I let you pass now, go through my mouth." The mouth then opened ferociously wide, but they were able to walk in like it was another door.

Lavender took a deep breath but went through with Ib. She looked around as they entered the room.

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><p>Ib looked around too. She saw paintings of what looked like blades going higher and higher. They walked around and walked down the hall, but carefully dodged a real-life blade slamming down into the floor. Thank goodness they were lucky and smart enough to miss it. It was then going back up slowly and there was a set of stairs from the cracked edges. Lavender scooped Ib into a piggyback. She didn't want Ib tiring out.<p>

Ib looked around as they were in a deep red room. Something appeared to have ran across the floor they were far from that was in front of a painting called 'Breath'. Curiouser and curiouser. "Lavvie, do you think we'll ever find a way back home?"

Lavender smiled. "Sure we will." she says. She would do all in her power to make sure that Ib would at least escape.

Ib looked around as they were now in a dull pinkish reddish room. There were colorful sculptures that had unusual titles and many of the paintings in this room related to the muscle known as the heart. Must have been a theme.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: This chapter introduces MY OC! :) read & review.**

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><p>"Wow, it's very red..." Lavender says. She looked around the sculptures and the pictures. She was drawn to the lady in red painting. She gasped as suddenly the picture came to life and started to chase them. She shrieked slightly and ran out of range with Ib. She didn't notice the picture had dropped a red key.<p>

Ib ran with Lavender. She hid in the corner by an unlocked door as the painting was coming for them. It looked as though they had nothing to defeat it. As the painting was going for the older girl, Ib picked up the red key and saw an unlocked door in front of her. "Lavvie! Come in here!" she cried as she used the key to unlock the door.

Lavender jumped over the picture in fear and ran into the room where Ib now was. She gasped out of breath. The picture lady in red was trying to come for them, but as they got the door open, they managed to escape. Ib and Lavender were now in a room filled with books on shelves, looking like a miniature library. Of course, being from an art gallery, Ib noticed that many of these books involved drawings and paintings by their artist.

Some of the books on one shelf were just hanging out and weren't pushed in like the others. Lavender took a looked at one and blinked. It was on about the ladies who would chase until they were satisfied but they couldn't open doors themselves. She examined some of the other shelves too. Ib decided to push the books back which made a strange noise come out. She looked at the new door in the room with Lavender and wondered if it would be safe to go in through that.

Lavender saw a note that asked if they were having fun. She then joined Ib. "I'll go in first to check," she says. She opened the door and looked into the corridor. It was safe and there was a rose vase and two ways. "It's safe." she tells Ib walking in.

Ib came in after and saw it was indeed safe. The Lady in Red was in a different part and had no way of reaching them. Ib noticed her rose was running out of petals fast and decided to restore it in the water and allowed Lavender to do the same before the water would run out. There was even a painting of a vase right by them. "Now, where to go from here?" she asked in her very quiet voice as gentle as the autumn wind.

Lavender found it strange the water didn't disappear. She chose to go left first and they found a locked door with blue petals scattered about and an empty space where a picture used to be. _'The Lady in Blue'_ the plaque read. Ib shrieked as the painting was now coming after them and the blue rose was in the corner. She wanted to get the rose, it might be important for later, but the painting was too scary for her. These art pieces were really frightening when they would come out to life and come after them. After they had ended up passing a purple haired man, when they found nothing, but a blocked door. Lavender gently had plucked the key from the man's hand. They went to the locked door and used the small key. Lavender distracted the woman painting so Ib could pick up the rose on the floor.

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><p>After they had ended up passing a purple haired man, when they found nothing, but a blocked door. Lavender gently had plucked the key from the man's hand. They went to the locked door and used the small key. Lavender distracted the woman painting so Ib could pick up the rose on the floor.<p>

"What's this...?" the man breathed, slowly coming up and finally responding. "The pain's gone..." he then noticeably shrieked at Ib and stood up, back from her, looking angered. "Wh-What is it now!? T-There's nothing left for you to take, I tell you!"

Lavender ran out of the room, shutting the lady in. She headed back to the man and Ib and frowned as he shouted angrily. "Don't shout at her, we helped you..." she scolds. Obviously she was protective of Ib. Her arms pulled the girl gently into a hug.

Ib was startled by the man's threats toward her.

The man looked at Ib long and clearly mistook her for someone else. "Wait... Dear me, could you be someone from the gallery?" he came closer toward Ib and Lavender.

"Yes, we are." Lavender says, still hugging Ib and looked warily at the man.

"So you are, thank heavens, there is someone here besides me and my friend," the man sounded relaxed now.

Ib had a small smile at the man, he now seemed friendly and warm towards them both.

Lavender smiled too. "Friend?" She asks then. She looked around to see if anyone else was there.

"Yes, come out, dear." the man nodded and turned to what appeared to be a shadowed spot.

There came out a young woman with long ebony hair that looked a tad frizzy. She also had torn grayish-whitish clothes with white socks and black shoes. She had blue eyes that seemed to stare off into space.

Ib looked at the friend of their new friend, curiously.

Lavender gave a small smile. "Oh, hello." she says softly.

The young woman looked back at Ib and merely blinked, then looked at Lavender. "Hi..." she said in a very shy tone of voice.

"She's been here longer than I have..." the man explained. "I take it you two just got here?"

Ib nodded at him, but not really saying anything.

Lavender nodded "Yes," she agrees. She then went on to explain how they got here but weren't sure about how they got to this world properly. Her instinctual reaction at the other girl's part made her hug the younger woman gently.

"So I see..." the man was understanding their situation, sounding very familiar with it. "You don't have any clue how things got to this point either. It would seem we wound up in very similar situations I have to say." He looked at the blue rose with him and explained to the girls how important and valuable the roses would be to their lives now. If the rose would lose its petals, it would endanger them, if all the petals were faded, they would fade as well, in a sense, they could die in the gallery. "I thought I was a goner, thank you for bringing it back..." he told the girls.

The woman with them showed that she had a rose as well, but it was black.

Lavender nodded gravely. "We know now..." she says softly. She let the other girl go and smiled slightly. "You're welcome." she smiles at the man. She found herself intrigued by him.

The man put his rose back in his pocket for safe keeping and smiled at the girls. "Now, first thing's first, we better find a way out. I think I'll go mad if I stay in this dreadful place for too long," he then turned to the girls. "Ah, I haven't asked for your names. My, that was rude of me. Well my name's Garry, we call her 'Whisper'." he pointed to the young woman.

She nodded, though that was possibly not her real name.

Lavender smiled gently. "This is Ib," she says placing her hands gently on Ib's shoulders. "And my name's Lavender." she introduces.

Whisper noticeably had a twinkle in her eye around Ib. "It's nice to meet you, child..."

"Ib and Lavender you say," Garry smiled at their names. "I can't very well leave two girls to wander into danger, no, no, so we'll go with you, okay?"

Ib smiled a little that Garry and Whisper were going to help them.

"Okay," Lavender agrees smiling. She held out a hand to be shook. "Nice to meet you." she says softly smiling.

Garry smiled and took them to a new part. However, before they could get any far, he jumped back, startled as another wagging tongue picture had a blob of spit jump out, making him shriek. Ib stared at him for reacting like that. Whisper glanced at him.

Lavender helped him up and giggled slightly. "Oh dear, I'm sorry we should have warned you about those paintings..." she says softly.

Garry stood up, glancing at the girls. "I... I was just startled, r-really, that's all it was!"

"Sure, Garry..." Whisper teased a little. Over the time she's spent with him, he's felt like a brother to her. "Watch out for these paintings. They can be quite dangerous."

Ib nodded, being familiar.

"I believe you," Lavender says with a smile. She then smiled "We should all continue on." she says then.

Garry and Whisper followed Ib and Lavender as they came into a different room. There was a black headless statue with some blue marks on it, but the others held still. Ib was worried that if they moved it would make the statue move and try to kill them. It didn't seem to be doing anything though.

"What a lousy place for this thing, step aside, would you girls?" Garry stated before he would find a way to get rid of it himself.

Lavender stepped back a little and brought both younger ones back too. She found herself smiling almost goofily at Garry's strength and chivalry.

Garry heaved and pushed the statue to the side to show a door for the girls. "Ta-da, now we can proceed!"

"Come along then." Whisper told Ib and Lavender.

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><p>Ib opened the door and they all walked into a dully colored room with a portrait of a bride on one side and a portrait of a groom on the other. Both had wriggling fingered grieving hands of the bride in the left painting, but they didn't seem to jump out and come at them.<p>

Lavender read the plaques. "Grieving Bride's left hand, and right hand," she says as she looked on both sides. She stood next to Ib and Garry and looked at both pictures of a sad-looking bride and a sad-looking groom. "How awful..." she says softly.

Ib nodded in agreement. Whisper glanced at the bride and groom and kept walking with the others. As they got to the end of one hallway, a bunch of eye balls popped out and blinked, which freaked and grossed Garry out.

Lavender looked at the eyes and then noticed one was red and bloodshot. "Aww, it has something wrong with it..." she says sadly, starting to sound a little childish.

"I have red eyes..." Ib looked up at Lavender.

"You're not sick are you, though?" Whisper asked gently.

Lavender looked at Ib. "I have red eyes too, but the white of it is red and bloodshot..." she says sadly but still childishly.

"But seriously, why are there _eyes _on the floor!?" Garry was still disgusted slightly.

"Oh, ew..." Ib cringed, backing away once she saw the sick eye.

Garry looked a bit sick, but he tried his best to be mature about this, being the oldest.

"No use going through there." Whisper said, seeing that the eyes were blocking entrance to the hall and didn't want to risk any of her black petals going through it.

Lavender sighed slightly, and gently. "Okay, you guys stay here." she says. She then went to see if she could find some eyedrops for the eye. Even skipping a little.

Garry and Whisper nodded, deciding to keep a close eye on Ib while Lavender would do this.

"Does that lone eye have a congestion problem?" Garry wondered.

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><p>There were paintings on the other side of a little girl, some ice, a white snake, and some scenery and there was a door that led to a room with a bunch of stools and easels that had blobs of blue paint on the paper. Lavender noticed the puzzle and managed to solve it. She got the eye drops and smiled. She came out the room not noticing it felt a little weirder to her. She came up to the poorly eye and gave it the eye drops. The eye stared at her until the drops came in and soothed it. It then disappeared a second and blinked normally. The congestion was cleared. Garry, Ib, and Whisper were a bit relieved and the eyes all were calm. One of them appeared to be looking at something oddly colored in the wall it was looking at.<p>

"Hey, there's a secret passage." Ib told her friends.

Lavender smiled slightly. She followed to the secret passageway. "Ooh!" she gasps happily.

Ib came in and something grabbed her attention that was on the floor. She walked further and picked it up. It was a red glass ball.

"That might come in handy later." Whisper advised the younger girl.

Lavender smiled and walked out of the passage. "This is exciting a little... I mean we're going to help that bride and groom" she says.

Ib came with the ball in her pocket.

"I hope they're friendly." Garry said, a bit nervous.

Lavender started to lead the party and held Ib's hand. She noticed the white snake picture has something missing.

"There's a hole in the eye." Whisper observed.

Ib looked down at her glass red ball and put it inside the hole, thinking it could be the snake's missing eye. As she did that, a painting fell in the middle of the floor with writing on the back of the frame. '_Behind the big tree._'

"Big tree..." Lavender repeats. She then smiled slightly. "Well, let's go explore." she says happily.

The others nodded and they went exploring. There was an open door which led to a piece called 'Labyrinth' and there were some of the statues walking around in the maze with some red splatters leftover. Garry was having another one of his episodes due to the statues in red which is why he nearly yelled at Ib when they first met.

Lavender hugged Garry. "Don't worry, Garry everything will be okay." she says.

There was a hidden trick to solve the maze that was among the artwork. Hug the right hand side and you'll reach the end eventually.

"Not a bad trick," Garry lowered his head, gently touching Lavender's hand. "But that doesn't help the ceiling being far too low for comfort. Not to mention those weird things loitering around give me the creeps. Be careful not to get trapped between them, girls."

"Agreed." Whisper added.

Lavender nodded agreeing. She smiled a small smile to Garry. Garry smiled back gently at her. The group followed each other and went south of the red paint, it wasn't blood after all, at least hopefully. The statues were slowly coming for them. They found a switch at the end of one of the paint splatters. Lavender grinned and pushed it. There was a sound outside.

"What was that?" Whisper asked, her voice in the way of her namesake.

"Probably a way out of here." Garry suspected, hoping he would be right.

Lavender headed towards the door again holding Garry and Ib's hands. Ib squeezed Lavender's hand and Garry's hand was a bit warm in Lavender's other one. Whisper seemed to be deathly calm, but she didn't say anything. She really wanted to get out of here, she had been nearly trapped for too long. Lavender headed to lead them out. She looked around when they got out of the room.

* * *

><p>The coast was clear and they ended up in a room with strange sculptures. One was called <em>'Wine Sofa'<em> which Garry thought appeared to be very uncomfortable, 'Melancholy' had an unusual face formed into it, 'Puzzle' was a skeleton painted into all sorts of different colors, 'Feeling' was a tree sculpture that nearly resembled a person. Ib was a little nervous about the skeleton, but Garry told her that the bones weren't real and she was curious about the world 'melancholy'. She had not heard that word before, but luckily now she had Whisper and Garry to help explain some new words to her due to her young age.

Lavender went to the tree, whimpering as the lights were flashing, but then dug through the tree's leaves and found a silver ring. "Found a ring!" She exclaims.

Garry looked astonished. "Isn't this... A wedding ring? Now, what would this be doing here?"

"I bet this goes to the grieving bride's hand outside." Whisper suggested.

Ib looked at the gleaming ring and smiled, it was quite pretty.

Lavender nodded. "Come on, let's go and put the ring on." she says with a smile. She couldn't wait for helping the bride and groom.

The girls and one guy came to the bride's left hand. Lavender had a choice of either putting the ring on the index finger, the ring finger, the pinky, or the middle finger. It was plainly obvious though which finger she would choose to help the grieving bride. Lavender smiled and placed it on the ring finger. She looked at the picture and saw the bride smile and throw the bouquet. She caught it and blushed as a sudden thought entered her mind. According to tradition she would be the next to get married.

"Those smell very pretty, Lavvie." Ib smiled at her neighbor.

"I think the bride and groom are going to be okay now." Garry smiled as the Grieving Bride and Groom were now the 'Blessed Bride' and the 'Blessed Groom'. He took one of the flowers out and put it in Lavender's hair, smiling.

Lavender blushed more but smiled. Her rose was still in the other side of her hair. She didn't notice that the bride winked. "Let's see where we can use the rest of these..." she says sweetly.

Whisper nodded, agreeing to that. They were beautiful flowers, but it was probably a good idea to use them for something else that may be important later. There was a blue painting that looked hungry for flowers. Lavender had a choice since she had her white rose and her new bridal bouquet of flowers. On one hand, she couldn't use this bouquet if she sacrificed it to the painting instead of for her future wedding, but on the other hand, if she gave her white rose, she could die.

Lavender bit her lip and handed the bouquet to the painting, rather live to see it than die before she helped everyone escape. The painting enjoyed the taste and smell of the flowers and let them go into the frame as promised.

Garry helped Ib through while Whisper helped Lavender and now they were in a dark room with more paintings. These paintings seemed to have a trap theme due to a box in one and a heart in custody in the other. Lavender shuddered a little at the heart picture. She however smiled at Whisper and then Garry.

"There are heads in here." Ib said as she opened the other door in the room.

"Better not be human." Whisper cringed.

* * *

><p>Garry smiled back sheepishly at Lavender. She blushed and then went with them along the room. The middle painting's eyes followed them as they passed.<p>

"Ib, do you have any idea where your parents may be?" Whisper asked the youngest girl.

"No, I hope we find them... I really miss them." Ib sighed. "Do you remember anything about your family?"

Whisper sighed drearily. "No, I don't... I've been here too long, I can't really remember anything. You remind me of someone I once knew though..."

Garry was calm as they came to yet another maze, but cried out as the Lady in Red was chasing after them again and they all ran away into a new room with some other ladies in paintings that weren't moving, but one of these things wasn't like the others. It was 'The Hanging Man'.


	3. Chapter 3

Lavender saw this one and then examined it. "It says 6295." she says. She was wary about the color dressed ladies.

Garry hummed as he got a good look at the numbers.

"I wonder what they mean?" Whisper thought out loud.

Ib was curious herself and came to a door which asked how many paintings of women were in the room.

Lavender looked at him, "Maybe we should try the door Ib and Whisper aren't at?" She suggests.

Ib and Whisper focused on the one door they were at.

Garry nodded and decided to go with her to the other door. "There's a four number password, this one must be what that painting was about with The Hanged Man." He had a strong feeling about what he just said.

"6295..." Lavender types in the password lock. She gave a cheerful cry as the door unlocked.

* * *

><p>Garry walked in with Lavender to a small room that had a stool with a painted easel. The painting depicted the vase on the table. There was no one in the room, but the two both felt a presence. It felt very eerie. Lavender shivered slightly. She however took note the vase was not in the right place. She started to push it to where there were marks that looked like indents. There was a sound heard outside. Garry and Lavender left to see Ib and Whisper with one of the mannequin heads they passed in that one room.<p>

"Was that thing here earlier?" Garry was a little alarmed. "... I don't think it was."

"I-I'm not sure either, we didn't see it when you guys left." Whisper shrugged.

"Uh, we should go to the next room..." Lavender says. She could hear many paintings moving and the sound of a statue walking about. She clung to Garry and pulled the two girls closer too. They ended up in a room with a mirror in.

They all nodded and escaped to the mirror room. It seemed to be the only thing there.

"It's a mirror..." Ib observed and saw her reflection with the others.

As they looked, the mannequin head came behind them with no one moving it.

Lavender saw the mannequin head and blinked. She turned to see it. "Hello..." she says.

Garry stared at it, wondering how it got into the room. When they looked away again and it came right behind them, startling them, Garry finally had enough. "Why, you!" he was about to kick it.

Whisper held Ib tight and Ib covered her eyes.

Lavender ran up to Garry. "**STOP**!" She shouts. She then calmed down a little "Please don't hurt it..." she says gently.

Garry looked at her and restrained himself, sheepishly. "R-Right, Lavender... My, that was immature of me... Well, let's go."

The mannequin head didn't say anything, but it appeared grateful that Lavender had protected it. Ib was a little settled now and still held onto Whisper's hand before they went anywhere. Lavender's offered them all smiles. She then looked at the mannequin head and gave a small smile too. She looked into it's eyes and felt weird like everything was getting taller.

Ib looked at Lavender, slightly worried as she was changing. "Lavvie...?"

Whisper cupped her mouth a little anxiously. Garry merely blinked, he didn't scream this time when something freaked him out. Lavender stepped back slightly and clutched her head a little. She was shorter now and she was in a school uniform like Ib's but the skirt, sleeve cuffs and ribbon was purple.

"Umm... I think you should see this..." Garry stepped aside to show Lavender the mirror.

Lavender looked at Garry and then turned to look in the mirror. She blinked rapidly and touched her hand to her face. "Oh..." she gasps softly.

Ib wasn't sure how to feel.

"I wonder how that happened?" Whisper murmured.

"Oh, Lavvie..." Ib moaned a little.

"At least she still remembers us... You _do _still remember us, right Lavender?" Garry asked cautiously.

Lavender looked at them. "Is this true?" She asks, obviously she did recognize them.

"Yes," Garry nodded. "I don't know how or why, but you are now a nine-year-old."

"Just like me." Ib added.

"I'm sure there's a reason for this though." Whisper said delicately.

"Oh okay, I thought I was just seeing things..." Lavender says with a delicate chuckle. She scratched her cheek lightly. "Well, anyway, let's go!" She says cheerfully.

"Right." Garry nodded.

As they came out, some of the paintings were coming out, even some ladies in blue. However, there was a gray key that was far out of their reach.

"One of us should get that..." Whisper suggested.

However, Ib was already gone and using all her bravery and even risked some of her red rose petals to obtain it.

Lavender looked worried for the younger girl. "Ib, you baka!" She scolds gently, her relieved tone showing she wasn't actually too mad.

Ib came back unharmed with the key.

"Ib, that was pretty foolish, but I'm glad you're okay." Garry said softly.

* * *

><p>Whisper nodded and waited anxiously as the key latched in and they were in a room with a white couch with red stripes, a few more bookshelves, a mirror, a portrait of a couple, a couple of stools, and an easel. Whisper glanced at the portrait of a man and woman together and came close to it, feeling like it had some sort of sentimental value. Lavender looked at the picture with wide eyes. She gave a soft gasp and hugged Ib gently. Ib sniffled, hugging her neighbor.<p>

"Ah, I think this could be moved," Garry went to the bookcase and moved it for the girls. "Ah, yes, there we go."

"I feel like I know these two," Whisper uttered, then looked down at the girls. "Do you?"

"It's Ib's parents..." Lavender says softly. She was in just as much shock as Ib.

"The people in the painting are your dad and mom?" Garry asked the youngest girl.

Ib nodded softly.

"Such a strong resemblance." Whisper agreed as she saw plenty of Ib in the mother.

It was then that it was noticed that Whisper had blue eyes like Ib's father.

Lavender looked at Ib's dad and then at Whisper. She blinked "You look like Ib's dad... You have the same colored hair and eyes..." she says.

"Really?" Whisper looked back at Lavender.

"There _is _a strong resemblance." Garry agreed. "But why would such a painting be down here?"

Ib wasn't sure whether to be shocked over the painting of her parents or that Whisper looked so much like her father.

"I don't know..." Lavender says softly. She still had her arms around the girl who was the same size as her now.

"Where are they?" Ib wondered.

"Well, I can't say that I know either." Garry told her apologetically. "Don't worry, they must be somewhere." He had some secret thoughts about Ib and was worried about her in this kind of condition, though it was understandable since she was in a mysterious place without her parents and only had Lavender and two complete strangers with her.

Whisper yawned a bit, today felt like it could drag on forever.

Lavender stroked Ib's hair. "Come on, Ib... we'll find a way to get back" she soothes. She felt a little dizzy but hid it well.

Garry tried to open the door to let them out. But it wouldn't open. "Wha... Are you kidding me? The door was wide open..."

A noise came from the other side and instantly, the paintings came to life and there was another door in one of the walls that the portraits escaped from. This seemed like a terrifying dream come true.

Lavender gasped as there was a hole with the color wearing ladies coming through. "Through the hole quickly." she says, pulling Ib through with her.

There was a maze involved with the statues and paintings still coming after them. The group ran with all their might and went as fast as their legs could carry. Garry carried Lavender this time and Whisper held Ib close as they were trying to get away. They nearly lost their roses on the frantic chase for their souls, but they made it. As they walked though, Garry grew a little slow and was panting heavily as they were in a stranger room with portraits that looked different one by one though had the same base. It was very exhausting, so Ib was starting to pass out, but not dying. Lavender fell to her knees as Ib did. She couldn't stop the dizziness and ended up collapsing too. She had her hand touching Ib's cheek as they both fell unconscious.

"Ib, Lavender! Stay with me now!" Garry called, but his voice echoed in their ears. "IB! LAVENDER!"

* * *

><p>It was very dark, the girls woke up alone. They were in this very strange room and Garry and Whisper were nowhere to be found but there was a dangerous round and sharp red pattern.<p>

Ib woke up and looked around. "Where are we?"

"I don't know..." Lavender says. She looked at the only door. "Let's go forward..." she says. She the led the way and the area surrounding the room was covered in paint splatters.

Ib nodded and followed. What was happening and why was it happening? Where have they came this time? They finally came into a room with odd designs around and there was a statue, a mannequin's head, and a painting all coming at them at once and there was no escape. They were attacked by the two dangerous objects and everything went black. Were they dead now? After the statue, picture and head got them both girls shot into sitting positions. They were panting for air. Lavender's eyes were wide and she looked around.

* * *

><p>Ib woke up next to Lavender and they had been tucked underneath Garry's coat. Whisper had a more pleasant and confident smile for them than when she first met them.<p>

"Ah," Garry smiled as the two woke up and went to them with Whisper. "Morning, girls, how are you feeling?"

Lavender looked at them both and then at Ib. She looked at the currently older ones. "We had a nightmare..." she says softly.

"I see... You poor things," Garry frowned sympathetically. "I can't say I'm surprised. Being exposed to such frightful sights, you know."

Whisper nodded in agreement. "Good you woke up now, we guess you didn't notice earlier."

Ib looked at the coat and spotted something in the pocket. Lavender got up and helped Ib up. She then hugged Garry lightly, still a bit shaken up. Garry was a little surprised by the hug, but he allowed her to hug him. Ib looked in Garry's coat pocket to find a piece of candy.

"We all better get some rest." Whisper advised. "We had a lot of excitement today."

Lavender pulled back from the hug and looked at Whisper and nodded. "Yeah..." she agrees.

Ib picked up Garry's coat and went to hand it to him after passing the rules of the art gallery.

_**No loud conversation.**_

_**No photography.**_

_**No food or drink.**_

_**No touching the displays.**_

_**No fountain pens.**_

_**No leaving ever.**_

'_No leaving ever?_' Ib thought to herself. '_But why_?'

Lavender looked around then and was waiting for Ib to decide when she wanted to go, they all replenished their roses. She felt weird in this new younger form.

"Oh, my coat, thanks Ib." Garry smiled and put it back on as Ib handed it to him, standing in front of a bookcase with one entitled 'Fun Pictures'.

"It should be safe to go out now." Whisper suggested.

Lavender nodded, she strangely felt jealous of Ib but it was other before she properly realized.

"Are you ready to set out again?" Garry asked cautiously.

"We're ready." Ib stated.

"Come on then." Whisper said, then walked out with them to their little adventure.

* * *

><p>Lavender walked out, and down the stairs. If it wasn't for the fact she wore other stuff and had different colored hair, eyes and skin she would've blended into the color scheme of the room.<p>

The others followed her to see the new room. There were some voices heard behind a locked door.

"There's a peephole..." Ib said, then went to look through it, but couldn't see anything but utter darkness.

Garry looked ahead and saw a lot of stands with headless statues in red and there were paintings with colorful buttons on display. Lavender had the urge to go inside the small maxe type thing. So she had to do it. She gasped as the way behind her became blocked.

"T-The exit's blocked!?" Garry cried, even worse, the statues came to life after Ib pressed the buttons, hoping they could help, but only lead to danger.

"Lavvie, I know you told me not to read another person's diary, but this might be important." Ib said as she went to the bookcase and found a diary, possibly written by Guetera himself.

"It's okay, Ibby." she says. She then pressed the blue button and an exit appeared. Lavender push Ib out before her as one of the statues neared.

Ib read some of the diary, walking with them as they could escape. "'It's said that spirits dwell into objects into which people put their feelings. I've always thought that, if that's true, then the same must be true of artwork. So today, I shall immerse myself in work, so as to impart my own spirit into my creations'."

"Is that really all it says?" Garry was unimpressed. You could have said something about the exit! Let's get out of here, girls!"

"This way." Whisper ushered them to the end of the deadly maze and as they got out, the exit closed itself up. That was a lucky shot and good call on her part.

A sigh of relief escaped from Lavender. She led to a pretty much all white picture. "What's this?" She asks.

"It's a milk puzzle." Whisper answered.

Ib came closer to see what it was, not having heard of a milk puzzle before.

"As the name implies, it's a puzzle where all the pieces are white like milk," Garry explained for Ib. "Since there's no picture on them, they're much harder than regular puzzles. Very smart people can finish them in no time at all, but... To be honest, they're not exciting. Since they don't even make a picture in the end... It feels much more worth it to do a puzzle of a picture you like."

Lavender giggled and then noticed a door a little ways away and opened it. Inside was a statue and a cord hanging from the ceiling. Ib pulled the cord, but it did nothing for them, so they just kept walking. Garry was fed up with headless statues blocking their paths. Lavender walked through the now clear exit and looked around. They went around to find a door that needed a password.

"It's probably the big fish painting." Whisper suggested.

Garry nodded in agreement. "You girls saw it at the entrance, right? It was something of the deep."

Ib pondered for a moment. "It was a confusing word... 'Ab eyes'..."

"Abyss!" Lavender grins happily. She stood by the door ready to go in first. She was excited and happy.

"That was it!" Garry agreed to Lavender, glad she remembered. "Let's all remember that."

Whisper nodded and made mental note of it. It was very dark in the room and no one could see anything or anyone. Lavender was shocked when the lights went out. She was stunned into silence. Garry made sure they were all there and then remembered he had a lighter. He took it out and flicked it on to show they were in a room filled with graffiti that obviously shouldn't be there. It was overwhelming for someone of his high-class to see such destruction.

"Who could have done this?" Whisper murmured.

Ib took out and found a book and saw some rather suggestive writing in it and Garry closed the book on her. Lavender slipped the book out of Ib's hand. She took a look inside and blushed scarlet and giggled. She didn't care about the writing. Garry merely glanced at her, then back at Ib and warned her to not read the book's messaging until she was older. Ib nodded and vowed to do just that, wondering what the book was about.

* * *

><p>"Guys, you should see this..." Whisper said shallowly as she opened the door out and there was red text all over the place.<p>

Lavender waited until everyone had started outside and slipped the book into a pocket. She then followed them outside. There was a notice in the red text which grabbed everyone's attention. It was like a strict policy. It mentioned lighters were prohibited from being used which made Garry a little nervous, but they kept walking along. As they walked, there were red footprints leading somewhere.

"Should we follow them?" Ib asked nervously, clutching her red rose of life.

Lavender took her own rose from her hair, checking the flower Garry had given her was alright and stroked one of the petals. She smiled and started to follow them, not waiting for an answer. She may have had her adult mind but by instinct of her body she was acting a little childish. Whisper opened the door and they went in.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: This is a chapter which introduces Mary. Hi, Mary...**

* * *

><p>To their surprise, there was a blonde girl with a green dress who appeared to be the same age as Ib. Was she a prisoner in the gallery too?<p>

Lavender saw the girl and looked sympathetic. "Hey, are you okay?" She asks.

The girl looked shocked and seemed confused as she bumped into them. "Ah!" She gasps as she fell onto her bottom.

Garry came to the girl to offer any possible comfort, even when she backed up. "Could you be one of the visitors to the gallery?"

"She looks familiar somehow..." Whisper looked at the girl too. "This is Lavender, that's Garry, this girl is Ib, and I am Whisper... It isn't my real name though, Garry called me that when we met, I don't remember anything about my past or family."

Lavender helped the girl up with a soft smile.

"I'm Mary... I was looking for someone, I want to get out." she says sadly, but offered a sad smile to Lavender. She already she sensed this girl could be useful and be able to become a friend if it was needed.

"Ah, I get it," Garry smiled. "Would you like to come with us?" he invited her.

Ib stared at the girl, but also gave a friendly smile.

"I'm sure if we work together we'll all make it out okay." Whisper quietly cheered.

Mary looked at them all and smiled. "Sure," she says happily. She ran to each of them. "Nice to meet you!" She says, taking a hold of Lavender's hands.

Lavender smiled "Nice to meet you too." she says.

"Nice to meet you too." Ib added.

Garry smiled fondly at the girls all getting along nicely.

"Alright, now that we have more company, we can proceed with our spirits high!" Garry proclaimed.

Mary smiled happily. She let go of one of Lavender's hands and took one of Ib's. "Okay." she says happily.

Lavender smiled at Mary, she was cute and adorable. She instantly wanted to be friends with the girl. Ib walked close with Whisper and Garry as Lavender was with Mary, striking a sisterly best friend bond. Lavender looked at her newest friend.

Mary smiled "Yeah, I do, a yellow rose..." she says with a smile. She glanced at Ib as the girl pulled her hand out of hers. She however wasn't noticed glancing at Ib.

"Don't lose it and don't give it to anyone." Garry advised to Mary based on experience.

However, Mary wasn't listening, but distracted by the other rose colors.

"Wow Lavender's rose is white, Ib's is reeeed! Mine is Yellooow... I like pink, and blue and black too!" Mary exclaims happily.

Lavender smiled and giggled.

Garry glanced down at the blonde girl. "Learn to listen, would you?"

Ib was a little overwhelmed by Mary's behavior, but she didn't say anything. Whisper merely blinked.

Mary merely giggled and pulled Lavender ahead. "Come on, then." she calls back.

Lavender seemed surprised at Mary's strength, but smiled at her cheerfulness.

* * *

><p>The group walked down the hall with two blue doors. One locked, the other opened, it is painfully obvious which one will be chosen. 'The Flowers of Jealousy', such an interest name piece for an obscure work of art. Whisper glanced at Mary, Ib, and Lavender, but walked close to Garry forming a real trust in him since she had known him longer. Lavender took a glance at Whisper and Garry and pouted slightly as she looked away. She placed her rose back in her hair and took the bouquet flower out, holding it gently in her hand.<p>

Mary smiled happily. So far everything was going her way. She looked at them. "We should go to the open room..." she says smiling.

The others came into the open room like Mary suggested. The room had a pink rabbit painting with some pink and white rabbit ornaments on shelves both left and right. However, no one seemed to notice there was a green one on the right side.

"Bunnies..." Ib smiled quietly.

Mary smiled. "It's cute, right?" She asks.

Lavender actually saw the same as Garry, it's true form, but she still thought it quite cute. "Yeah... I wanna hug it..." she says happily.

"What!?" Garry glanced at them. "What about this is cute!?"

"Garry, they're bunnies, they're little girls." Whisper consoled.

"I'm not sure..." Ib stared at the red eyes of the bunny in the painting.

Mary beamed at Lavender and then looked slightly sad at Ib. "Not sure?" She asks. She then shrugged and hugged Lavender happily.

"At any rate, let's get out of this creepy place quick." Garry advised, seeming partial to the warm fluffiness of every girl's fantasy.

Lavender smiled and hugged the girl back gently. She gasped and then giggled as the one in green fell to reveal a key.

Whisper noticeable rolled her eyes and saw the key. "I wonder what that's for?"

"I bet it's to that other door." Ib theorized.

Mary looked at the key. "It's a purple like Lavender's name, so SHE should pick it up." she says.

Lavender took the key carefully. "Poor thing..." she says quietly as she looked at the doll on the floor.

The others left to try out the new room that was locked before. They were going to go ahead, but they heard a sound and stopped to observe it. Ib came close to the painting in front of them and heard that the sound was coming from the painting itself. Mary actually knew what was going to happen and she stood to the side with Lavender.

Lavender looked at the things coming out with worry. "Ib, be careful!" She gasps reaching for her.

Ib eeped and jumped back with Garry and Whisper as the picture bloomed and held out dangerous green and spiky plants like in Sleeping Beauty. "I'm not hurt, but that was scary..."

"Are you all alright?" Garry asked the girls on the other side relieved that Ib wasn't harmed.

"We're fine." Lavender gasps, she was shocked but she sounded relieved that Ib was okay.

Mary looked at the vines. "Oh, they're made of stone." she says.

"What to do?" Garry hummed.

"What _can _we do?" Whisper nearly moaned.

Ib now remembered she gave the violet key to Lavender to hold onto.

Mary looked at Lavender. "We have that key, maybe we can find something to break these vines." she says.

Lavender gave a small nod. "Okay, it's probably best..." she starts. She then looked at the vines. "We'll find a way to break them, we'll see each other soon!" she calls over.

Garry hummed. "I wonder if you'll both be alright."

Ib's eyes were very puppy-like, she was worried about being away from Lavender, but at least she was safe with Garry and Whisper.

"Ibby don't be scared, and Garry we'll be okay, I'll protect me and Mary." Lavender calls.

Mary smiled and pulled Lavender away. "We'll be okay." she says sounding optimistic.

Garry told the girls to be careful on their own. He was deeply worried about Lavender more than Mary however.

* * *

><p>The girls came into a room with a bunch of boxes, a few headless statues and an easel with writing on it. It looked more like a storage room than an exhibit. Lavender looked around.<p>

Mary looked in one of the boxes. "Oh, a pallet knife... maybe this can be used to cut the vines..." she says, "Let's head back!" She clung to Lavender as the lights flashed.

They headed out but found the door was blocked by a statue but as they were only little girls they couldn't move it. Luckily neither Lavender or Mary were hurt with the lights, but they had trouble escaping to get back to Whisper, Ib, and Garry. The only other way out was another door. They had no other choice but to go through there to make their escape. The lights downed in there as well and it was a little worrying on Mary.

Mary clung close to Lavender, actually not scared, but seeming as if so. "We'll have to go through the doorway, we can't go back..." she says with a shrug.

Lavender held Mary's hand. "We'll find a way to them, don't worry." she says. The room they went to had a portrait of eyes. They couldn't cross though. "How can we cross?" She asks and then noticed a patch with a blue rose on it looked a good place to sit and think.

Lavender was sat down on the spot and had pulled Mary gently to sit with her. Mary watched Lavender, smirking when the girl's eyes closed in thought. She planned on using her to get out, but it was starting to feel a little bad that she would do that, not much at the moment though.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Meanwhile on the other side...<strong>_

"They're taking their time..." Garry mused. "I wonder if something happened?"

"Lavvie, Mary, can you hear us!?" Ib called from their spot.

Whisper deeply frowned as the girls didn't answer.

* * *

><p>What could the girls do with no floor there? However, as though by magic, something made the blinking eye painting fall from its spot slowly and formed a bridge to allow the girls to cross. Neither of them had done anything, it was like one of the wonderful and whimsical acts brought on by the strange supernatural powers the museum held.<p>

Lavender gasped shocked. She stood up with Mary.

"Do you think it's safe to cross?" Mary asks. She smiled when in response the eyes closed and she pulled Lavender along.

It looked safe enough, so the girls crossed. However, there was an unusual noise coming from inside the box on the other side they made it safely across.

Lavender looked at the box.

"We shouldn't open it... Mary says nervously.

* * *

><p>"What did that cord do?" Ib wondered.<p>

"I'm not sure, but I hope it was worth it." Garry said softly.

"Hey!" Whisper pointed to a block that suddenly fell seemingly from nowhere.

Garry looked at them and decided to move it since it had a blue triangle on it and moved it into a triangle-shaped hole and the violet door with them opened.

* * *

><p>Lavender looked down into the hole after pushing the block into it.<p>

Mary giggled "That was silly..." she says.

* * *

><p>Garry grew nervous as he went up the hall with Ib and Whisper to see writing with a very disturbing spider-like doll who seemed to be following them and clingy towards the man of the group.<p>

"Dolly!" Ib beamed.

"I wouldn't go near it." Whisper quietly advised the younger girl as they walked.

"How long is that thing going to follow us?" Ib shivered a bit.

"Enough of this!" Garry growled. "We're busy here and I'm not going to be your buddy!" He moved it out-of-the-way and allowed them in the door to the next room.

Garry came into a room with pedestals. They were given a mission by the paint display. '_Collect all seven balls of paint, then the room will be colored and your bridge will be made'_.

"Balls of paint? Wonder where those are?" Garry asked himself.

"We better get looking." Whisper said, taking Ib's hand before they would go off to explore.

"Whisper, is Garry your brother or father?" Ib wondered.

"No, dear, he hasn't seen me before, so I assume he isn't a relative of mine." Whisper sighed, feeling sad and lonely about the existence she never knew about herself.

Lavender and Mary walked through a corridor and suddenly Mary stopped them.

"Do you miss your parents?" She asks.

Lavender looked at her. "Sometimes, it's not been easy but I've managed..." she says softly.

"Oh... well if you had to choose between me and Garry, who would you leave with?" Mary asks.

Lavender looked at her. "I'd sacrifice myself, I couldn't choose." she says softly with a sad smile. She was shocked as Mary seemed sad.

"But you'd not see anyone again... It'd be lonely... Don't worry we'll leave together!" Mary says, starting sad but then ending happily.

Lavender smiled. "Okay..." she says softly. She was pulled along by Mary then into a room with many doors.

* * *

><p>While the others went on their seven paint ball mission, nearly risking their petals and Garry offered to do the dangerous stuff since he had more petals than the girls, Mary and Lavender were in a room with many doors. There was a fisherman painting, but with no fisherman except for the splashing waves and rocking boat. Lavender went into an open room.<p>

There were shelves and a picture called '_The Lone Keyhole'_. They also found a book with many numbers, the number 6223 standing out more. She then led Mary into another open room, it had mannequin heads on the table. Mary looked at Lavender and started to push them off. She could see that Lavender wouldn't but knew she had to help or no one would be able to leave. One broke a crack in the ground and a strange red gas was leaking through. Two had accidentally hurt the girls as they smashed. There was a book about a little girl who got lost in the art gallery and was separated from her parents. She was alone, hungry, and hurt. Sounded a bit like Whisper when they all first met her. There was even an illustration of the girl who had collapsed and she strongly resembled Whisper if she were a little bit younger than Ib herself.

Lavender had been shocked about the picture of the girl. Mary had taken that book off her, though gently. She hoped Lavender hadn't believed the book. However now both girls had to leave that other room after breaking the heads and saw that there were mannequin heads, some that were crying red stuff. There was a name underneath the picture, but Mary had closed the book quick enough to not yet Lavender see it. There was something known as a tree key next to one of the mannequin heads.

Lavender looked sad at the heads. "I'm so sorry we smashed the other ones..." she says gently.

Mary picked up the key and looked at Lavender surprised. She had never seen anyone act like that to any work of art before. The girls went back into a bookcase filled room and put the key into a hole of a frame to get in as it opened. Nothing really happened, but they also wandered into a room that was black and white. No color, how boring. Even for an art gallery.

Lavender went to the Fisherman picture yo see a similar stick figure there. "Oh..." she gasps and then also noticed another blue rose patch.

* * *

><p>Mary came and sat with her, they couldn't do much else. She spent sometime to get to know the girl.<p>

"What do you think that's for?" Ib stared at the red rose patch in the room.

"Eh, probably nothing." Whisper shrugged her shoulders.

Garry was looking at the fisherman painting and saw a hook, wondering whether to touch it or not. He reached to see if it was real since it was coming out of the painting, but winced as he poked a hole in his finger and decided to leave it alone for now.

* * *

><p>Lavender was becoming closer friends with Mary. Mary decided that she would try to get someone else to sacrifice themselves so she could get out, even though she had an idea of maybe using Lavender to get someone else to. While the girls were wandering, a red umbrella appeared into the fisherman painting. Mary pulled Lavender over to it. Lavender took the umbrella and remembered there was a picture of a woman without an umbrella. She took Mary and gave the lady the umbrella.<p>

"It's raining in the room, weird." Mary says, giggling at the end. She took Lavender out though so they wouldn't get ill.

Garry entered the dangerous room with one of the paint balls they needed to solve the puzzle. He noticed that there were soft raindrops falling into the vase for them to get back some petals. They all sure hoped this would work, they earned new rose petals and Garry pulled a cord in the deathly room and the red disaster had finally ceased. This also meant the red gas that the girls couldn't pass before by the mannequin heads were now able to do so just as well to yet another new room.

As the gas stopped Lavender looked shocked, she followed down to the place it led to. There was a picture called 'Aspiration' and a statue was blocking the stairs. Mary stated the obvious by saying this too. She then took Lavender back to the blue rose patch.

Garry was in the bookcase room with the girls.

Whisper took one of the books containing some of Gueterna works and one of them had mentioned Mary. There was a painting of a girl who looked like the Mary they had met. Suddenly, some things became clear as Whisper relaxed her brain and she was thinking back.

* * *

><p><em>Eight years ago, Whisper was with her parents, her father looked like her as a man and her mother looked like an older version of Ib.<em>

_"Remember to stay close with us, Ami." her mother said._

_"Yes, Mama..." Younger Whisper, or rather, Ami replied._

_The girl wandered from her parents after they were looking at boring artwork. Ami was lost. She couldn't find her way back and the gallery was closing. The painting Mary had come to life and held out her hand for Ami. Mary had told her they could be friends if she came into the painting. Ami agreed in her whispering tone of voice and was sucked into the painting. Mary had betrayed and tricked Ami, she took everything from her. Mary had taken her memories, her true identity, and the elder daughter of the happy couple visiting the art gallery that they would take their toddler daughter to someday when she were older._

* * *

><p>Whisper blinked and it all became clear now.<p>

Ib looked at Whisper. "Are you okay?" She asks the older woman. Her red eyes looked up in worry and wonder.

Whisper's eyes fluttered as she slowly closed the book and put it back on the shelf.

Garry was just as surprised as Whisper was. "Mary doesn't exist..." he muttered, though loud enough to be heard by both girls. "And she's with Lavender right now... No way... She also stole your sister's identity, Ib."

Ib looked shocked. She was calm looking though. "No wonder we have similar looks to our parents..." she says softly. She then looked worried "We have to hurry and help Lavender Mary could hurt her!" she gasps.

"We better get going then and quick!" Garry said, then he spotted a red ball of paint. He picked it up and noticed that the doll beside it went right inside the door.

Whisper/Ami blinked. "Should we go in?" she asked, a little nervously.

Ib nodded. "There might be another paintball..." she says quietly.

"Probably." Garry agreed. He opened the door and went in with the two girls.

There was in fact another paint ball, but it was surrounded by the disturbing dolls that had been following the trio around. The dolls didn't seem to be any trouble, so Garry grabbed the white paint ball.

"That's all seven!" Whisper/Ami was happy that they collected them all. Now they could get out and solve the puzzle.

Ib went slightly ahead and found the door wouldn't open. "The door's locked..." she gasps.

The room darkened and the white portrait canvas suddenly had a blue hand gripping the frame.

There came writing on the door.

'_Let's have another treasure hunt... Who, who, who has the key_'?

Garry was not amused. "Now, where is that key?"

Whisper/Ami turned to see a doll was gripping onto the picture frame and had a rather large stature. The doll was coming slowly out of the picture. Some of the dolls had big stomachs. Ib looked around for the key and found it in an orange dress wearing one. Garry found a different doll with a pebble and quickly followed the girls out with the small key to escape the room and the mutant doll that was trying to crawl out and eat them. Garry ran out as the girls were safely out and ran to a corner to catch his breath. "I have had _enough _of that room..."

"If we went through that I hate to imagine what Lavender is going through right now." Whisper/Ami stated.

One of the doors they had passed before was magically open. Ib pointed to the door. Garry, Whisper/Ami, and Ib went to it and went exploring to find the others.

* * *

><p>Suddenly Mary stood up and stared blankly ahead.<p>

Lavender stood up too and looked at her. "Are you okay?" She asks softly, worriedly. Her blue-green eyes were filled with worry for her friend. She followed as Mary suddenly ran off after rambling a bit. Mary was acting very odd. Mary was slashing at the mannequin head that blocked the hall. She was saying something about it being in her way. Lavender didn't want to, but had to leave Mary. She wanted to find help for Mary.

As soon as Lavender left the room, Mary was right behind her. The blonde girl didn't want to be left and made childish conversation about snow and that they could eat it with syrup. Lavender looked at Mary. She then went into the white room, thinking Mary was ok and would follow her again normally. She crossed and got the brown key and headed back out. She saw Mary wasn't moving from in front of the Tattletale picture. She frowned worriedly and headed through the door she newly unlocked.

Suddenly Mary came walking in, the pallet knife in her hand. "Lavender why were you heading off without me? I said we'd get out together... why are you running?" She asks, tilting her head a strange gleam in her eyes.

As Lavender was about to go down the stairs, Mary came in like a horror movie villain and was stalking after the unknowingly older than her girl.

"**LAVENDER!**" Garry's voice called and he ran up to face the two lost girls. "What are you doing, Mary?"

Whisper/Ami and Ib rushed to Lavender. Lavender looked at her with wide eyes.

Mary frowned at Garry, Ib and Whisper/Ami. "Why couldn't you be good and have stayed there?" She asks angrily. "Lavender come here, we have to leave together!" she shouts.

Whisper/Ami and Ib held on close together.

"Mary, I know what you are!" Garry nearly yelled threateningly to the not-so innocent girl and was about to grab her.

Lavender went over to in between Garry and Mary. "No! You can't hurt her!" She exclaims with a worried look. She couldn't let Garry hurt the girl.

Garry didn't do anything, but Mary tried to run away and fell, dropping her yellow rose. Garry was not amused by that, but looked back at Lavender. "Are you okay? Sorry we're late."

Whisper/Ami and Ib stared at the knocked out girl.

"Yes, I'm okay..." Lavender says softly. She looked worriedly at the fallen girl. She really felt for her.

Garry gave Lavender a brief hug and looked back at the fallen girl. "You might not believe us, but Mary... She isn't human... She's one of Gueterna's works just like those painting women who came after us. I didn't really spend enough time with her to notice."

Ib nodded in agreement to what he was saying was true.

"She also stole from me." Whisper/Ami revealed.

Lavender clung tightly to Garry. She had been scared of the knife. She started to cry a little. "It's not fair for her..." she almost sobs.

"I know you must feel sorry for her, but you must stay away from her, she did something terrible to Whisper." Garry advised as Mary was on the floor not moving a muscle and her rose was revealed to be fake.

Ib walked with the others to get away from 'scary' Mary. Lavender cried silently as they walked. She had to hold Garry's hand for support. She would've fell otherwise.


	5. Chapter 5

Whisper/Ami looked to Lavender. "She stole my identity and everything of my memories... My name is Ami and I'm Ib's older sister... Ozu and Kira are my parents... Do they remember me?" her eyes were glowing to Lavender.

Ib wasn't sure. She had seen pictures of a child with her parents before she was born, but she had assumed that this sister that if it was her sister had gone away somewhere. Her parents almost never spoke of her and when they did, it would be brief. Lavender nodded, no matter how much she felt sorry for Ami too she still really felt for Mary. It must be horrible for anyone to be trapped. It was then she decided she'd still get Mary able to leave.

Garry saw the headless statue that Mary and Lavender had trouble with before. He pushed it aside for the girls to allow them all to keep going like they had intended to. "Just _how_ many statues have I pushed today?" he grunted, but smiled at the girls so they could go down the steps.

* * *

><p>The group walked down the stairs and were surprised to see they were nearly floating in outer space on the side. Something flew past them, perhaps a shooting star. Lavender looked around and could feel the childlike feel. She wiped her eyes but the tears wouldn't stop yet. She saw as the world took on a childlike drawing state. The others bravely dodged falling projectiles and walked down the pink floor some more. There was an arrow pointing something called 'Sketchbook' and they followed.<p>

Garry was moved by the change, seeing a house with some flowers in childish drawings. "Well, now, this is a significant change in atmosphere... But nothing we can't handle."

"I bet that door's open." Ib pointed to the house.

Lavender was silent. She remembered Mary had mentioned about loving to draw.

Inside the house was a portrait of an unknown person, a not ticking clock, and a bookcase filled with child storybooks. Seeing nothing interesting, the group left and walked along past a locked art studio, another locked building, a blank bulletin board and Ib couldn't help but notice two dolls being hanged that resembled herself and what Ami used to look like before Mary drained everything from her.

Lavender looked at the dolls, her face still looking sad. She didn't like the look of how they were hanging. She blinked slowly. As they started to look around she saw one of the black-haired, red-eyed, dress wearing dolls. Her hand slipped unnoticed from Garry's and she followed the doll. She felt so curious and almost drawn to the doll. Garry reminded them not to get into trouble. He didn't seem to notice that Lavender was wandering off. The doll seemed to have pulled itself away as the girl was trying to get close to it.

Lavender wiped her tears away and followed the doll. "Don't leave..." she says softly. Her hair fluttered as she walked even though there wasn't much wind.

The doll kept pulling itself back, purposely so Lavender would follow it. Lavender followed. She didn't notice that the doll was leading her to Mary. Mary had sent a doll to get Lavender, she truly cared for the girl now. She heard how she had defended her and got upset over how she (Mary) wasn't allowed a true life.

Ib, Ami, and Garry continued to explore. They had found another house and wondered about going into it. The door was unlocked though. Ib noticed that Lavender was gone. Garry groaned, he was afraid this would happen. The others went exploring and hid away when they thought they heard Mary again, but continued to go after she had left. They had to get Lavender back before they would travel back to the art gallery to be with their families again. Ami wondered if her long-lost parents would accept her and take her back for being missing for eight years.

* * *

><p>Mary picked up the doll and handed it to Lavender. "Here, I wanted to thank you and let you know I want to stay with you..." she says softly. She took Lavender's hand.<p>

Lavender held the doll and looked at Mary. She gave a sad smile and nodded "Okay..." she says quietly.

Mary pulled Lavender along searching for the group. Lavender clutched the doll close. She was planning what she would do to get Mary out too. Ib, Garry, and Ami looked in the mysterious house. They heard the door open and Mary had come with Lavender, so they all hid and made sure neither would see them. Especially Mary.

"Ib, Garry, Ami?" Mary calls out in a sing-song voice, but looking slightly sad.

Lavender looked like the true child she now was. The doll was clutched to her chest, her rose was in her hair and the bouquet flower was clutched in her hand and Mary's. It dropped onto the floor as they left. The group stayed hidden and quiet the very best they could. The two young looking girls left. The door clicking closed audibly. Mary pulled Lavender along gently. Lavender followed with a calm look.

Lavender looked at Mary. "I'll help you to leave..." she says evasively.

Mary nodded smiling "Thank you, Lavvie..." she says, using Ib's nickname for the girl. Mary kept on looking around. Lavender hoped no one would be hurt at all.

* * *

><p>Garry came out and clutched the flower close, hanging his head. "Oh, Lavender..." he then suddenly cried out as Ib hugged him, making his arms flail out, he didn't do that when Lavender hugged him. "Oh, Ib... it's okay..." he muttered with a smile.<p>

"I just hope Mary doesn't do to Lavvie what she did to me." Ami whispered.

The others decided to keep walking. They also hoped they would find Mary and Lavender before something terrible might happen. A tulip had bloomed as they passed one of the many flowers in the garden and had earned a key. They could now get into the chalk/crayon drawing art gallery. The three made it into the drawing art gallery and came across Pandora's Box with some drawings of Ib, Mary, Garry, and Lavender with their roses. There was also one of the creepy dolls on the wall. Ib looked at Pandora's Box while Garry and Ami were wondering whether to open it, but she did and a bunch of symbols came out randomly. Ib also found a little mirror in the box and decided to hold onto it for future use. When they left the gallery and made it past the frozen door again, there was a gleam of sunlight. Mary blinked as the symbols flew about. Lavender giggled gently.

"You girls are still holding onto your roses, right?" Garry talked with the girls before they moved on to their next step in their journey. As he saw they still had them, he continued. "Make sure you don't lose them and don't let anyone else have them, not even each other! Although, I still wonder why we have these roses..."

"I remember something about a sculpture called _'The Embodiment of Spirit'_," Ami recalled. "I'm sure there's a connection there."

Garry was still shaken by the moving paintings they had encountered before and wondered why none have come out so far in this new area.

Ib saw the drawn sun and placed the little mirror down against it which melted the ice off the door they had saw frozen several times before.

Lavender and Mary were still searching, never meeting them.

Garry commented how it wasn't too shabby when the ice melted. They all went in and found an unusual puzzle. They each took the time to memorize it, it seemed like a map. They were to start at the heart, then to an open oval eye, a crescent moon, a gleaming sun, a spiky star, a little swirl, a strange unknown shape, and finally, another moon, only sideways. They must have been symbols from the Pandora's Box. They cautiously walked out and passed a house with a heart symbol and they dodged near the lukewarm pond was a flying axe from nowhere. Mary must have summoned it. Mary cursed slightly as they dodged. Lavender blinked surprised at Mary. She knew Mary wouldn't purposely hurt them though.

"Keep walking." Garry lightly told Ib.

The younger girl nodded and continued to walk with Garry and Ami.

There was a noticeable apple in an orange tree and the other trees looked normal. They all kept walking and on the way out they saw the bulletin board now had one of the symbols on it. There was a new butterfly in the garden. They were all yellow, but one was orange with an eye pattern.

* * *

><p>Mary looked at Lavender "Don't worry" she says with a smile.<p>

Lavender hugged the doll with her. "Okay..." she says softly.

After what felt like ages of solving that puzzle, it was finally solved. Their reward was a plastic key for the one house that had been locked forever and they were allowed inside. There was a rather big toy box inside as well. Garry wondered if there was a key inside there, remembering that a key was hidden as a clue in an earlier part of the world. What they didn't know was that Mary and Lavender had come behind the three of them.

Mary looked at them. "How did _you_ get in here?" She asks angrily, still clenching Lavender's hand. She then ran fowards and pushed them in.

Lavender blinked. "Mary!" She gasps.

"The key is in there, but we'll follow to stop them if they get to my special room..." Mary tells her friend gently. She then took Lavender's rose as she had pockets. She jumped in with her and when they landed handed Lavender her rose back.

The others had blacked out and woke up in a very creepy room. There was a mannequin head, a few disturbing dolls, a broken down toy train and some haunting drawings surrounding them. Ib woke up and saw she was alone. She didn't have her red rose and neither Garry or Ami were with her. She would have to solve things on her own, hopefully she wouldn't get killed in the process. Ib found Garry and he was flat on the ground like he once was before, but not as bad.

"Ib... Are you okay?" Garry breathed.

"I'm fine, but I can't find Ami." Ib said calmly, but a little scared inside.

Garry and Ib were almost on their way to Mary and Lavender as they made it past obstacles together, combining their brain power.

* * *

><p>"Mary, what do you want from me?" Ami frowned as she was with Mary and Lavender in an unknown place.<p>

Mary looked at her. "I just want to leave this place, and I wanted to give you back your full memories... because Lavender promised to help me get out too" she says, being absolutely truthful.

Lavender nodded and offered a small smile. If one could read smiles they would notice it gave away how she would actually do this.

Ami blinked at her. "Why did you take my memories in the first place? Didn't you think that I would miss my parents and little sister?"

"I wanted someone to stay with me until I knew how to escape... I'm sorry..." Mary says.

Lavender moved her hand to scratch her head and then placed it back in Mary's. "I'm going to make sure that she can escape too, please don't be mad... she didn't see any other choice" she says quietly.

Ami blinked, now kind of having trust in Mary. "I'm sorry we abandoned you." she whispered softly.

Ib and Garry had gotten far, they made some noise which drew Mary's attention.

Mary smiled and then walked through the door of her special place with Lavender. "Come on, Ami, I need your help, please." she says softly.

Lavender prepared to help make sure Mary would be okay.

Ami nodded and came in with Mary. "Garry, Ib!" she cried out to them. "You're okay!"

Of course, based on what they knew, Garry and Ib were alarmed by Mary's appearance. And why hasn't she already harmed or killed or done whatever she had wanted to do with Ami?

Mary looked at them a little angry. "How did you get in here? Leave now!" She shouts, scared slightly in case they wouldn't listen about not killing her.

Lavender looked shocked and sad at Mary. She then sent a soft smile to Garry. The whole room shook with red rage from Mary. Ib ran off to the painting with Garry's lighter. Garry softly smiled back with some flushed red tint coming into his cheeks.

"Ib!" Ami cried out as Ib took more steps, disobeying Mary's wishes.

Mary chased after Ib. "Nooooo..." she screams.

Lavender ran too. "Ib don't please... I can get everyone out!" She shouts, not saying that she wouldn't be included.

Ib was close to flickering the lighter and stopped as Lavender said that. "You can?"

"Really?" Garry looked at her as well.

Ami blinked, a little surprised that her nine-year-old sister had a lighter on her hands.

"Yes, I can... and Mary is really good, she just wants a life denied to her..." Lavender says softly. She couldn't let them hurt Mary.

Mary looked at Lavender. "Oh..." she gasps softly. She then looked at Ib and Garry. "I'm sorry..." she says softly.

Garry blinked at Mary, but smiled. If Lavender could trust the girl, then he could too. "Very well."

"I would very much like to go home now." Ib smiled at her older neighbor.

"Could I come too?" Ami asked, feeling she may never get this chance again, not believing she was now finally able to go home. "I don't know if my parents would even recognize me after all these years..."

Lavender looked at her. "Yes, you will..." she says softly. She smiled softly "Your parents have missed you..." she says.

Mary led them all out to where the pink key would be used. She had no need to fear now. Something strange happened. It was all dark and suddenly, Ib's eyes opened.

* * *

><p>When Ib opened her eyes, she looked around and things in the art gallery looked as though as they did before the mysterious flickering lights. It was only darker.<p>

"This place looks familiar..." Garry murmured as they were in the normal art gallery that no longer seemed to be haunted.

Nothing was coming alive and all were held still and there were windows showing the outside of the gallery and not being a bunch of random mirrors. Ib, Garry, Lavender, Ami, and Mary stopped as they came in front of the Fabricated World mural. Were they home? Were they all really home? Lavender took a deep soft breath. She gave Garry a brief hug and then the girls.

"We can get out through there..." Mary says softly. She gave Lavender a hug back not knowing why she was recieving a hug.

Garry wondered how they could all jump through a painting because of the frame, but something made it disappear. "Ladies first." Garry told Lavender about jumping into the gallery first.

Ib stayed with Ami and Mary.

"Let Ami and Ibby out first..." Lavender says, making it seem she was putting the blue doll aside safely.

Mary raised an eyebrow but smiled. "Go on then, Ami, Ib." she says.

Ami took Ib's hand and they jumped into the painting together.

Garry looked down at Lavender. "Coming?" he asked gently before someone would come see them.

Lavender smiled sadly and came a little closer. "I just want you to know I love you... and make sure Mary has a nice life..." she says, her eyes filling with tears.

"What?" Mary asks confused. "NO!" She cries.

"Lavvie!" Ib called out.

"LAVENDER!" Garry nearly screamed, holding his hand out for her.

Lavender had pulled out her rose and started to rip the petals off.

"Oh, no!" Ami moaned.

Lavender tore off the last petal and then dropped the stem too. She turned slowly and pushed them through the portrait. "I love you all..." she says softly. She then slowly collapsed, feeling extremely tired.

Mary had screamed in sadness but was quiet when they were out. She had forgotten what they had been doing.


	6. Chapter 6

Ib blinked as they were all together.

"Ib? Ib!" a familiar woman's voice called out.

Everyone turned to see Ib's mother coming.

"Ib, I finally fou-" Kira paused and her red eyes went wide. "Ozu... Look..." she whispered to her husband as he was coming slowly behind her as she saw Ami for the first time in eight years.

Mary apparently was now Garry's sister. She felt very sad but she didn't know why. Garry saw Mary's sadness and held her close.

Ozu came up and looked. "Ah..." he gasps quietly.

Ami turned to see her long-lost parents.

"Y-You look just like our first-born..." Kira couldn't believe it. "B-But you can't be..."

"She is, Mother..." Ib came forth.

Ozu came up to Ami and looked closely and hugged her.

Mary hugged Garry. "Can we go home? I don't feel well." she says softly.

"Umm... Sure," Garry picked up Mary in his arms. "Ib, I hope you and your family will be alright."

Kira glanced at Garry, since Ib knew him, she must have befriended him while she was lost and wandering off but she was also hugging Ami. "I'm glad you helped our daughters, but Ib, don't go wandering off with strangers, that's what happened to your sister." Kira softly scolded, she was just so happy to see her first-born again. She and Ozu didn't seem to wonder what happened to Lavender.

Ozu gave Garry a nod, he nor the others remembered Lavender at the moment. Ib looked at Garry with Mary as they went off somewhere else.

"Perhaps we should all get home now, it's getting dark." Kira offered.

Home. Ami had wanted to go home with her parents ever since her wrongful imprisonment.

Ozu nodded. "We'll get dinner on the way back." he says.

Ib smiled and followed her parents and sister out to get some food and have a happy ending at home. Ami was very pleased and she now knew she finally belonged because she was now finally going home. Ozu didn't seem to notice the new painting. Ib yawned a bit and lay down in Ami's lap and she fell asleep too.

"I take it you had some fun, Ib, we really must catch up with your sister," Kira said, smiling as they were in their ride home. "Girls?" she looked back to see them both fast asleep and in peace finally. She then turned to her husband, put a finger to her mouth and quietly shushed him so they wouldn't disturb the girls.

Ozu smiled and drove them to get some food first.

* * *

><p>As they headed out Mary stopped Garry as they came by a new picture. "AH!" She cries out remembering, tears streaming down her face.<p>

"Shh... Shh..." Garry tried to settle Mary as they were on their way to the rose sculpture in the art gallery. "It's going to be okay..."

"Garry, look!" Mary cries out and showed him the new picture that was up. She got the bouquet flower out of his pocket too.

The painting was of a woman with long black hair in a purple dress. Thornless rose vines surrounded her and she was holding a white Rose. She was crying but her face had a sad smile on it. The background was a deep dark red.

Garry looked, getting the message. He gently put Mary down on her feet and walked close to the painting. "Lavender...?" he murmured softly.

Mary was crying as she looked at the painting. She was so sad for her friend, not even caring she was was actually an adult. The plaque underneath said 'The Sacrifice of Love'. Garry took Mary's hand and gently squeezed it as he bowed his head and also let loose some tears for Lavender. The plaque was incredibly fitting.

"The art gallery will be closing in 10 minutes." a voice called to all of the people inside the gallery as guests.

Mary looked at Garry "We'll have to get Ib and Ami to remember..." she whimpers.

Garry looked back at her. "Yes... We'll have to find Ib and Ami again sometime... I don't know when, where or how, but we will bring Lavender back into all of our lives... I feel sorrowful seeing any rose now."

Mary nodded. "Let's go home..." she says softly as she gave one last sad look to the painting.

Garry nodded. He looked at the painting one last time and had a tear roll down his cheek. "Good-bye, Lavender... You really made a difference in my life like no woman ever has before..." he quietly muttered, choking back hysterical sadness with a grim face like a proper man who had just attended the funeral of his best friend. He then took Mary's hand and he took her to his home where she would live with him from now on.

**To Be Continued**

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Well, that's the end of Ib: Into the Abyss. Well, it's the end of _this _story however. There will be a sequel, I promise you that. I won't be uploading it though, this friend of mine who did the story with me will do it. It's still in the development stage, but it should be released soon on any website that the both of us use. We really hope you enjoyed the story, I hope you did since I submitted this one. If it's not too much trouble since this is the last chapter, read & review. **


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